A “romantically obsessed ” Italian man was yesterday acquitted of conspiring to steal his former lover ’s mobile phone by commissioning a hapless duo to take it from her after a put-up mock traffic accident.

The presiding magistrate noted that there was nothing linking 63-year-old Oliviero Filisetti to the unusual incident, which went farcically wrong and ended with the victim, 40-year-old Joanna Beirne, being abducted.

Police Superintendent Carmelo Magri, who investigated the case as an inspector, testified that Mr Filisetti had admitted to commissioning taxi driver Matthew Sciberras, 33, and 42-year-old personal trainer Mariella – also known as Michael – Chircop St John to steal the phone.

He wanted the phone to find out to whom his former lover was talking and texting. Mr Carmelo described Mr Filisetti as being romantically obsessed.

A plan was devised and activ-ated on November 28, 2008, when Mr Sciberras and Ms Chircop St John crashed into Ms Beirne in Naxxar. Mr Sciberras was to take the phone while his partner in crime would distract her attention by speaking to her.

But the plan took a bad turn when the collision caused a traffic jam and people started hooting their horns.

With so many people around, Mr Sciberras became worried that he would not manage to get the phone and, fearing the wrath of Mr Filisetti, jumped into Ms Beirne’s car, pointed a gun at her and ordered her to drive on.

As they approached a set of traffic lights a little further down the road, the woman jumped out of the moving vehicle, the officer told the court.During the proceedings, Ms Beirne recanted previous testimony claiming that she suffered from amnesia.

She had first said that Mr Sciberras had jumped into the car and held her at gunpoint but then said that she had actually invited him into the car because it was raining, even though he had a gun.

A psychiatrist found that Mr Sciberras had the mental age of between nine- and 12-year-olds.

In the appreciation of evid-ence, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli found Ms Chircop St John guilty after considering her admission and handed down a 12-month jail term suspended for two years.

Mr Sciberras was placed under probation for two years.

Lawyers Andy Ellul and Vince Micallef appeared for accused Mr Filisetti.

Lawyer Stefano Filletti appeared for Mr Sciberras.

Lawyer Malcolm Mifsud ap-peared for Ms Chircop St John.